This G20 thing just isn’t going away. A video by Real News that went viral on YouTube last week shows a young woman blowing bubbles being threatened with arrest for assault. “If the bubble touches me, you’re going to be arrested for assault,” Constable Adam Josephs tells Courtney Winkels, who was, in all fairness, blowing multiple bubbles. In further justifying his reaction, Josephs explains that there’s detergent in the bubbles that could get into a policeman’s eyes. Another cop in the video seems both perplexed and amused by the whole exchange.
Later in the video, Winkels is shown being put under arrest, though it’s unclear why. She told the Sun that she was arrested for having a backpack and a lawyer’s number written on her arm. The incident has turned bubbles into a new symbol of peaceful protest. On Saturday, at a Canadians Advocating Political Participation rally at Queen’s Park, many of the 300 participants blew soapy orbs into the air. In analyzing Winkels’ arrest, others have focused on the seemingly erratic behaviour of Officer Bubbles, as he’s been dubbed. A new animated series shows him falling in love, then arresting his lover, and locking up Barack Obama for obstructing justice.
• Tiny bubbles cause international stir [Toronto Sun]
Officer Bubbles was only one of multiple examples of the Toronto Police giving themselves a black eye. Chief Blair’s misleading of the public on multiple issues was in my view worse. I expect a higher standard from a Chief.
However the politicians who have been dragging their feet on a full public inquiry are the ones who have shown themselves to be without scruples or interest in either the police of the public’s well being.
Reduce the BILLION dollar Toronto police budget until there is a full independent inquiry. The police need it as much as the public.
July 19, 2010 at 11:04 am | by cdbOfficer bubbles is a meathead. Someone should arrest him for wearing SHORT shorts and exposing too much thigh. DOUCHE!
July 19, 2010 at 11:07 am | by The_FlashJust another authority figure power tripping. She stopped as she was requested, no sorry told to. I hope he gets reprimanded publicly for abusing his power.
July 19, 2010 at 11:49 am | by DWow. This guy is a real hero(sarcasm for those too stupid to get it…). “To protect and serve” my ass!!!
July 19, 2010 at 12:44 pm | by jimmyG20 is an absolutely illegal meeting and should be stopped. The millions in dollars in security money, no taxpayer has authorized. We can vote for one idiot or a worse idiot, this not democracy.
We cannot express our opinions or object to this injustice or we are going to be pounded down. We are being ruled with an iron fist.
Welcome to Canada’s fast tracked NWO.
Please do not blame officer bubbles, there are people above.
July 19, 2010 at 2:00 pm | by Darren PritchardOfficer Adam Josephs also known as Hothead Bubbles should not even be in police with that type of rude attitude.
Government on all three levels are not worried about being accountable and outright will blindly support the police.
Who cares that police broke the law and stepped on our charter of rights.
We live in a fake democracy.
July 19, 2010 at 3:28 pm | by MolariAdam Josephs is an idiot and should be put down like any vicious beast.
July 19, 2010 at 6:18 pm | by DaveIf you look on the Law is Cool website ( http://lawiscool.com/2010/07/17/const-adam-josephs-aka-officer-bubbles/ ) they purport to have a screen-shot of Adam Josephs (Officer Bubbles) Facebook page prior to his locking down the security settings on it.
Highlighted in red, Josephs descrives his employer as the City of Toronto, since 2007, “Taking out human garbage”
Classy fellow.
July 19, 2010 at 8:48 pm | by JabberwockySo forget he’s a cop, imagine you have a party in your backyard and friends invite friends you don’t know, but eveyones getting along, your parents come over, and are ok with the party but stay to keep an eye on things, then some stranger starts blowing bubbles in your moms face and won;t stop, would you kick her out of the party, or tell your mom to to leave
July 21, 2010 at 3:15 pm | by dontbitethehandI don’t necessarily agree with the police or G20 but… I think she was trying to piss off police, who are trying to support their families just like you and me. I don’t think he responded harshly at all. I think he was very professional about it and gave her fair warning. Unfortunately, because the tape cuts out, I have to assume that they didn’t want us to see what really happened. She probably did something to deserve getting arrested, such as, blowing more bubbles. I would have arrested her too. Technically, it is assault, as lame as that sounds. Its just annoying.
July 23, 2010 at 12:15 am | by JdozWhat would you do if someone sat down in your workplace and blew bubbles in your direction (intentionally) and wouldn’t stop when you asked them to? Repeatedly?
August 12, 2010 at 3:02 pm | by cjmYou’d probably call the police. Then the police likely would charge them with assault.
The bemused officer was probably wondering why the young woman was behaving like such an irresponsible infant. What grown up blows bubbles in the first place, especially in the context of supposedly protesting a political assembly?
Incredible.
‘Officer Bubbles’ was both professional and restrained, which is difficult to do when you are confronted with immature, irrational, and passive-aggressive behaviour.
She got everything she deserved, not enough as far as I am concerned, bunch of spoiled children, the officer showed incredible restraint here, all of these protesters are an embarassement to the City of Toronto and Canada, wonder why the security costs so much? all you have to do is look at these MORONS who did everything they could to provoke the police, instead of letting them do their job which was to stop any REAL harm to the summit or the city. I have no sympathy whatsoever for these bastards, there is no need to waste anyone elses time or money on bullshit inquiries, great job done by Toronto Police
September 20, 2010 at 1:14 pm | by Cam SeymourAfter looking at the video I wondered one thing, If the same police officer were lets say security of a dance club, I wonder if she would have had the guts to blow those bubbles in his face and honestly if she did for lets say.. fun, or due to being refused entry, I wonder what would have been the outcome..? Guess what I am trying to say is without a doubt she was provoking a person of office, the law the same person she would run to for help, if assaulted by some random dude. She did it Simply cos she knew the police officer would not openly or otherwise assult her, which he didnt and there is a thing called arresting somebody to keep them out of trouble which “trouble” is often self inflicted. So honestly he was serving and protecting her for her own good but she didnt know it, the age ol question is the cage to keep the lion in or us out? same difference. I didnt see what he did wrong, being stern with a youth who is a “Goth” “Activist” who was extremely passive aggressive in nature. “I dont feel very respected” coming from a person who just showed disrespect and quite literally mocking another PERSON who also happens to be a policeman.. whos trying to protect you…?? I am sorry sweetheart but I dont think you thought that one thru very much… Anyways everybody just think about it in both angles and you’ll see it.
Don
October 16, 2010 at 5:08 pm | by DonAnyone who was there knows full well the girl stopped blowing bubbles when told to. Contrary to what people would like to believe, there was absolutely no reason to arrest her. She was arrested for having a lawyer’s phone number on her arm (as protesters were advised to do by lawyers) and a knapsack containing medical supplies to anyone needing first aid. If those are reasons to be arrested in Canada, it’s not a country I want to live in and neither should you.
October 17, 2010 at 9:09 am | by ChrisFACISM at it’s finest example. This clown, in all likelihood, probably thinks his dick is bigger because of his uniform. Evidently, the Toronto Police have given up giving psychological evaluations to applicants before hiring. Officer “Bubbles” laughable lawsuit will hold as much merit in a court of law as does his “professionalism”.
If Constable Adam “Bubbles” Josephs had a brain, he’d be on the ground, playing with it. Stick it, Bubbles. You’re a douche.
October 17, 2010 at 4:05 pm | by Laughter